Brick-drying apparatus.



. W. R. MARTIN. BRIUK DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17, 1908. 956,123, Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

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' W; R.'.MARTIN BRICK DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAILH, 1906.

Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

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W. R. MARTIN.

BRICK DRYING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17, 1906.

56,1%3n A Patented; Apr. 26, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 INVENTOR TTNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WIIiLIAM RICHARD MARTIN, OF WEST HEMLPFIELD TOWNSHIP, LANCASTER COUNTY,PENNSYLVANIA.

BRICK-DRYING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM RICHARD MARTIN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at the Hedges, Marietta avenue, in West Hempfieldtownship, just outside the limits of Lancaster city, but in the countyof Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Brick-Drying Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to steam-pipe rack driers, and provides an improveddrier in two branches with an intermediate aisle for a conveyer, andcertain structural improvements in the drying racks.

The invention will be hereinafter fully described with reference to theaccompanying drawings, and then more particularly pointed out in theclaims annexed to this specification.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus embodying theinvention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on line m-m of Fig. 1,looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 1. Fig. 2 is a sectionale1e vation of a portion of the steam intake tubes removed from Fig. 2.Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of the left hand wing of the drier andof the conveyer, looking at the head end of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a rear endelevation of the same portion of the drier and of the conveyer.

The apparatus shown in the drawings will now be particularly described,it being understood, however, that the invention is not restricted tothe precise details of construction and arrangement shown and described.

In the drawing A designates the supporting frame, which consists of twoWings, the right hand wing being designated by the reference character Aand the left hand wing by the reference character A while between thetwo is formed an open passage Way extending longitudinally throughoutthe length of the frame in which is arranged the conveyer to behereinafter described.

The supporting frame A is practically the same as that described in myformer Patent No. 804,489, dated Nov. 14:, 1905, in which the two wingshere mentioned are combined together in one, while in the presentinvention the wings are separated at the center of the bracket plates,which bracket plates have at their inner and outer Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed March 17, 1906.

Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

Serial No. 306,686.

ends flanges A which flanges are secured to the side flanges ofoppositely disposed posts A by bolts and nuts similar to those describedin said former patent, supporting the frame and drier, said posts beingprovided with base plates a constituting feet upon which to stand andhaving strengthening ribs a and side flanges a through which sideflanges bolts and nuts a secure the bracket plates and posts together.

As shown in the drawing in this instance the drier consists of twobranches or members corresponding with the two wings of the supportingframe before mentioned, the right hand member being designated by thereference character B and the left hand memher by the referencecharacter B The head ends of the members B and B of the drier are formedwith a plurality of vertically disposed tubular manifolds B havingintegrally closed lower ends 6 and open upper ends surrounded by ringflanges b on to which are fitted the ring flanges b surrounding the openends of tubular nipples projecting downwardly from horizontal manifoldsB havin integrally closed rear ends 6 and forwar open ends surrounded byring flanges b on to which are fitted, by bolts 6 with nuts on theirthreaded ends, forwardly disposed elbow fittings B which fittings have atubular connection B having at its center an exhaust steam in-take elbowZ) and on each side thereof said tubular connection B is provided with agate valve B to regulate the flow of the exhaust steam to either memberof the drier, or to entirely shut it oif therefrom. Between the valves Band the end elbow fittings B said tubular connection B is provided withT-fittings 6' having upwardly projecting tubular branches 2), whichbranches have a tubular connection B with a live steam intake elbow B atthe center thereof. On each side of said live steam in-take elbow B saidlatter tubular connection B, above said T-fittings, is provided with agate valve B to regulate the flow of live steam to either member of thedrier, or to entirely shut it off therefrom. The rear end of saidmembers B and B are formed with a plurality of vertically arranged, butoppositely disposed tubular manifolds B having integrally closed upperends 79 and open lower ends surrounded by ring flanges 5 on to which arefitted and rigidly secured by bolts and nuts I), the surrounding ringflanges 6 of tubular nipples Z2 projecting upwardly from horizontalmanifolds B, which latter manifolds have both ends integrally closed andare centrally provided with a downwardly projecting outlet tube B forthe discharge of condensed steam or air from the drier. Both the headend tubular manifolds and the rear end tubular manifolds are provided onopposite sides in their respective vertical center lines with bosses I),through which are rigidly secured into said manifolds the front and rearends of tubes B provided with elbow fittings B thus dividing said tubesinto horizontally disposed branches 6 and b Z2 extending from saidmanifolds to their respective elbow fittings B and the branches 6extending rearwardly are passed through orifices I) formed in bracketplates B, which have their central end flanges, as well as their outerend flanges, secured to the before mentioned posts A as shown, while themanifolds B adjacent to their lower ends, are provided with pet-cocks Bfor the outlet of air from the manifolds, which would prevent the inletof steam, thus completing the drier.

An open passage way 0 extends through out the length of the frame A, orbetween the members B and B of the drier, in which is arranged theconveyer G which will now be described and which is used in conjunctionwith the drier. Said conveyer comprises, first, a dumping or loadingtable G which is arranged between the vertical manifolds at the head endof the members B and B of the drier, and consists of a frame 0, whichframe is composed of upright standards 0 with longitudinal bars 0rigidly secured to the upper ends of said standards. Somewhat centrallyarranged with reference to said frame are bearings 0 journalinghorizontally therethrough, the extremities of a revoluble shaft C havingmounted thereon peripherally grooved wheels 0, carrying in theirperipheral grooves, endless cables C while hinged to the top of theframe 0 as by a hinge C is a tilting top 0 adapted to be inclined toreceive the pallets or metal plates a loaded with green bricks receivedfrom the molds of the machine, not shown in the drawing. The frame isprovided with angularly disposed kicker-bars C hinged to the frame as bya hinge 0 to be operated by a foot of the attendant. The upper end ofthe vertically disposed kicker-bar is adapted to hold said tilting topin an inclined position to receive the brick loaded pallets beforementioned and when said vertically disposed bar is removed, said tiltingtop will turn down, dumping said loaded pallets, one by one, on to thecables C to be carried thereby to the desired points where they areremoved from the cables to be placed in position on the tubes of thedrier, said pallets being indicated by the reference character 0 and thebricks thereon are indicated by the reference character 0''. At therearward side of the frame 0 are arranged rearwardly and downwardlyinclined slats 0 up which may slide the empty pallets when they arereturned by the lower portions of the cables. At the rear or outlet endsof the members B and B is arranged a frame work C provided with bearings0, j ournaling therethrough, the ends of a revoluble shaft 0 havingmounted 011 its body peripherally grooved wheels 0, similar to thewheels c before mentioned, carrying in their peripheral grooves the rearend portions of said cables 0*. The rear end bearings 0 are providedwith sliding means, movable back and forth on the frame work C by meansof rotatable screws C operated by hand wheels C whereby the tension ofthe cables C may be increased or diminished at pleasure, or as may berequired. Between the head end frame 0 and the rear end frame work C areerected, at desired intervals, triangular standards 0, provided withbearings 0 through which are rigidly secured by means of set screws,horizontally disposed rods or shafts C on which are mounted the hubs 0of revoluble peripherally grooved idler pulleys C carrying in theirperipheral grooves the rearwardly and forwardly moving cables C Theelements of the invention hereinbefore described and occupying theseveral po sitions indicated in the drawing, it will be we observed: Theelbow fittings B joining the horizontal tubular branches Z3 and Z), arediagonally disposed with reference to the drier, thus compensating, indiagonal directions, for the expansion and contraction of the tubes Bmaterially aiding in preventing leaks caused by breakage of the elbowfittings B The invention having thus been ascertained and described andthe manner in which its functions are performed, fully shown andsetforth, what is considered new and desired to be secured by LettersPatent 1s:

1. The combination in abrick drier with the two branches, each branchhaving at its head end vertically disposed tubular manifolds and at itsrear end tubular, but oppositely disposed manifolds, said head endmanifolds having open upper ends with horizontal manifolds formed withdownwardly projecting tubular nipples connecting the open ends of saidhead end manifolds and said rear end manifolds having integrally closedupper ends and open lower ends with horizontal manifolds having upwardlyprojecting tubular nipples joined to the open ends of said rear endmanifolds; drier tubes, each having shorter outer end branches withtheir extremities interiorly 0 connecting said head end and rear endvertically disposed manifolds, said branch tubes having theirextremities oined by elbow fittings, as shown, all substantially asdescribed and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

2. The combination in a brick drier having two branches, as described,with vertically disposed tubular manifolds at the head and rear ends ofthe members; drier tubes having longer and shorter branches with el bowfittings joining the extremities of said branches, the shorter brancheshaving their outer ends tubularly connecting the adjacent sides of saidmanifolds; the elbow fittings joining the outer extremities of saiddrier tubes in a series diagonally arranged with relation to the lengthof the drier, allowing for expansion and contraction of said tubes,thereby preventing breakage at said elbow fittings, substantially asdescribed and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

3. In a brick-drying apparatus, the combination of parallel drying rackswith an intermediate longitudinal passage-way therebetween, each rackcomprising superposed tiers of steam-pipes constituting shelves forsupporting pallets of brick, supply-manifolds for the pipes of therespective racks connected with the head ends of said pipes, and anoverhead steam-pipe spanning said passageway and connected withthemanifolds for both racks.

4. A brick-drying apparatus having two branches, each comprisingsuperposed tiers of pipes, there being an intermediate passage-waybetween said branches, said pipes having inwardly disposed frontportions and outwardly-disposed rear portions, confronting series ofmanifolds respectively connected with the inwardly-disposed head ends ofthe pipes of said branches, at opposite sides of said passage-Way, asource of steam-supply in communication with both of said series ofmanifolds, and series of manifolds respectively located at and connectedwith the outwardly-disposed rear ends of the pipes.

5. In a brick-drying apparatus, a dryingrack comprising superposedshelves each composed of longitudinal steam-pipes all having frontelbows arranged in a diagonal series with relation to the length of therack and with laterally disposed arms of successively increasinglengths, the shorter elbowarms being inclosed by the longer ones, andsaid pipes all having rear elbows also diagonally disposed and havingsimilarly arranged arms but extending in an opposite direction, a seriesof manifolds connected with the head ends of said pipes, and a series ofmanifolds connected with their rear ends.

6. In a brick-drying apparatus, the combination of a drying rackcomprising superposed shelves composed of steam-pipes, a series ofvertically disposed manifolds respectively connected with the ends ofcorresponding pipes of the several shelves, said manifolds being closedat one end and having the other ends open, and a longitudinally-disposedmanifold having a series of lateral nipples respectively joined to theopen ends of said first-mentioned manifolds.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM RICHARD MARTIN.

Witnesses:

JAMES E. BOYLE, MABEL L. LE FEVRE.

